September 4th, 2006: Travel to Sioux Falls

September 4^th, 2006:

• Bus Date to Sioux Falls: Sadly, it was time to say goodbye to yet another family and to prepare to meet another. Thankfully, this time we were able to take two vehicles to transport us “Uppies” AND our luggage. We loaded up Jim’s little Honda Civic with all our luggage and we all drove with Mary in the Buick. Funny, I didn’t fall asleep this time around. Though all goodbyes are sad in some way, Jim and Mary were very sweet. They made us HUGE lunches for the trip (including microwaveable popcorn just in case) with surprise gifts in each bag. I now have an adorable chipmunk. Thank you Jim and Mary, I had a wonderful week.
• Bus date: Ma Kechao “Matt” from Beijing, China
• Arrive to Sioux Falls: Jeremy, Linda, and Samantha in Football Garb
• Meet the Greens: The host code for this city was “What shape is a football?” At first I thought that this was a trick question, given that Americans consider football to be a very different sport than those from other countries. Then I recalled the fact that I was in Sioux Falls. This may be an overexaggeration, but it probably isn’t even an option here to call soccer by the name of “football”. This is certainly (American) football country. So, by deduction….I was looked for something the shape of an American football.

In the greeting area, my roommate Dongchuan Wang from Beijing, China and I met with Jeannie Green who held a chips bowl the shape of an American football. After some quick and excited hellos, we were off and packing her Nissan SUV. Before heading home, she took us to the site of the Sioux Falls, home of the Takota (sp?) “Indians”.

Upon arrival to the Green household, we set up our rooms (Dong and I had our own rooms AND bathrooms, major luxuries to us) and ate dinner. Rich, Jeannie’s husband joined us shortly after. Jeannie works as an English teacher at a local high school, working primarily with children who have difficulty comprehending written English and Rich is a mortgage broker. They have 3 children and they JUST sent their youngest off to college.

We had decided to go to the laser light show at the falls, so we didn’t have long to talk until we had to leave home. Soon after setting up our chairs at the Falls, Dong and I decided to walk around and give out flyers for the show. Neither of us were particularly comfortable with doing this, but we had been encouraged to market the show and the theme for this experience is certainly to push ourselves through that which we find uncomfortable. Dong and I gave our “schpeal” (sp?) to several patrons. Many were receptive. Some were merely polite and would, assuredly, throw away the flyer a second after we left. One older woman told me to “be quiet”. This took me by surprise and I really wanted to scream “HEY, we’re doing this for YOUR community!” But I forced myself to remain quiet and remember that these people were here for the laser show, not to be my captive audience. Between Dong and I, and the announcement that Bob and Raoul were able to organize, I think most people at the Falls knew that UWP was in town.

The show…. A must see for anyone in the area. A great way to learn about the history of Sioux Falls.